A tripartite structure
The Payathonzu temple complex presents an architectural arrangement unique across the Bagan plain. It is not one temple, but a triad of three visually identical shrines connected by two narrow, vaulted passages. Built in the late 13th century, likely during the reign of King Narathihapate (1256–1287), the structure consists of three distinct square temples, each with its own portico and crowned with a tapering, curvilinear spire known as a sikhara. These three individual structures are designated as Monuments #477, #478, and #479 within the Bagan Archaeological Zone.
While many Bagan temples align with the cardinal directions, the conjoined nature of Payathonzu creates a more complex configuration. The three sanctuaries sit on one platform but do not share a single orientation. This unusual layout is the basis for the archaeoastronomical interest in the site. The hypothesis suggests a deliberate design, where each shrine's entrance was positioned to catch the light of a specific celestial event, effectively turning the temple complex into a calendrical observation device.